What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hanover	Worcester
People
Population	14,845Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.4Highest 4% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	16.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
	Hanover and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,342Highest 56% above MA	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanover and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 10% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	19.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#69 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	South Shore Vocational Technical High	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.